Vol.2 No. 73 Oct. 12, 2007

The Bogus Economist
Measure 50



Shortly after mailing my last column to this paper's ever-patient editor, I received three (count them) pieces of mail informing me our Oregon Constitution was in mortal danger and I could save it. Wow! Who could be against saving the Oregon constitution? I quickly picked up the first piece entitled “Taxpayers oppose Measure 50 because laws are supposed to solve problems – not create them.” I also oppose laws that create problems. At the bottom of the page it added, “Please join us.” I was ready – who's “us?”

On page two, I was told “Our State Constitution deserves more respect.” Again, I agreed. The second piece was headlined, “Measure 50 would set a DANGEROUS PRECEDENT for Oregon's State CONSTITUTION” (their caps). Here, I found out that a retired professor of law thought Measure 50 would “limit the rights of voters while making a particular tax policy a constitutional mandate.” On the facing page was a distinguished-looking unidentified man next to a caption again reminding us Measure 50 “deliberately evades” constitutional taxpayer protections. Under that, a blurry cartoon warns Measure 50 could “open a Pandora's Box of future tax increases.” Finally, I was told our constitution should not be amended to promote the political agendas of “...special interest groups.”

By this time, I was champing at the bit. Who is “us?” Which special interest groups would Measure 50 promote? Does Pandora have a political agenda? What kind of campaign uses blurry cartoons? This was the biggest soap opera of the year. I plunged on.

My first clue came when I read some small print on the back of the second piece. “Major funding provided by Philip Morris USA.” Aha! It must be tobacco! I looked through the pamphlet for the word “tobacco.” I didn't find it. I went back to the first piece. There it was! On the top of the second page, it said Measure 50 would amend our constitution, a document that “should not be amended casually...,” to increase taxes on tobacco! Right on! No casual amending!

Now I knew who “us” is. Now how about “special interests?” For this, I turned to the third piece, ostensibly written by a a non-smoking first-grade teacher named Ben Matthews. He bitterly opposed Measure 50 because only 30% of the money would actually go for the Healthy Kids Program, which is the title of the Measure. Almost seventy percent would go to “whatever health care expense it (the state) wants.” Mr Matthews called Measure 50 “a blank check that will probably be written to state health care contractors like HMOs, health insurance companies or hospitals for bigger reimbursement payments.” Probably. Possibly. Well, maybe. Or maybe not.

Speaking of blank checks, I found – small print at the bottom of the page – a notice that Oregonians Against the Blank Check (OATBC) provided the resources to help Mr. Matthews share his thoughts. OATBC, I discovered, is almost wholly supported by Reynolds America, parent company of the R.J. Reynolds tobacco company. So much for special interests.

R.J. Reynolds, by the way, was among the companies whose CEOs solemnly sat in front of a congressional committee and swore under oath nicotine was non-addictive and there was no connection between smoking and lung cancer. They stuck to this story under questioning despite their noses having grown long enough to knock over objects on adjacent desks. After getting off with nary a perjury charge, they promised to do what they could to persuade young people not to buy their products. Their noses by then were sprouting small flowering plants.

I've written about snus, little porous packets of tobacco to be placed between cheek and gum, allowing users to experience the kicks (and cancer) of the stuff without having to spit. They're now on sale in Portland. Answering complaints that a product like this will be welcomed with cheers by kids who realize they can not only use tobacco in school, but use it two seats from the teacher's desk, the butt companies reacted with shock. Kids? Goodness, no! However, Bill Phelps, spokesman for Philip Morris, Inc, is also quoted as saying about snus ,“This is a growth opportunity for us.” This is also known as “getting replacement users”.

I realize amending the Oregon constitution to cement in a tobacco tax is something to be careful about, but whether talking about smokeless cancer or the people who sell it, both seem to warrant Measure 50. Airing pious commercials warning kids not to smoke while coming out with flavored snus including cola, mint, and spice, isn't convincing. Nor is Mr. Matthews. Nor is Mr. Phelps. Frankly, I wouldn't believe the tobacco companies under oath - their noses tell me so. The pamphlets said to make up my own mind. I did.

In the eyes of the Bogus Economist, Measure 50 is only one of a set of essential ways to pay for the things we need, like children's health care – or any other kind of health care. Ronald Reagan, who acted as spokesman for Chesterfield cigarettes for years (“Not a cough in a carload”), joined his wife in telling kids considering a toke or two during the '80's to “Just Say 'No'.” On Measure 50, I intend to “Just Say 'Yes'.”

-30-

The Bogus Economist © 2007